Disgusted with support (or lack thereof) I received regarding tuning my LLY Duramax

[LS6FD]

So since HP Tuners claims their software works with my 2005 LLY Duramax, I would expect them to be able to tell me how to actually use it to write calibrations to my truck. Unfortunately not.

See this thread for the details: http://www.hptuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38364

Before creating that thread, I emailed support about the problem. The person that responded (William) was less than eager to provide any sort of help regarding the issue, and just told me that it was a wiring problem with my truck and I was basically on my own. Now since I run the Edge CTS monitor, and it has never had ANY problems constantly reading data from the OBDII port, and I can log via HP Tuners just fine as well, logically that tells me there isn't a communication (or wiring lol) problem with the OBDII port.

Well after hours and hours and hours of countless frustration trying to actually use this very expensive software I bought that said it will work on my vehicle I FINALLY found out what it took to make it work. Not from HP Tuners but from going to the website of one of the box tuners and reading the instructions they had for my vehicle. See http://www.bullydog.com/documents/40420-99%20V3.pdf (pg. 33)

It says to pull the TBC Batt, TBC Ign 1, Radio, and Info fuses (I already had the Info fuse pulled). Guess what, I've been able to write my tune perfectly now every single time (5 times now), which has never happened once prior to that! Now how pathetic is it that I had to go to a completely different manufacturer's website to find the answer to this? I can't tell you how much time and frustration this issue has caused me. Not to mention leaving me without a vehicle several times as well as I couldn't get the tune back on the computer before I had to go somewhere. Now note that in the thread I created above in the HP Tuners bugs section I EVEN ASKED IF MAYBE THERE WAS SOME OTHER FUSES I SHOULD PULL!!!!!!!!

What is even more sad is that when I emailed support back and relayed this info I never got an apology for blowing me off, or even a thanks for giving HP Tuners the info I spent hours trying to find on how to use their product on my vehicle.

Being a programmer myself and running a development business, I understand that it's hard to cover every scenario your software may be used in, especially with something as vast as HP Tuners. However, I never blow my customers off and tell them that they're on their own when they've paid me for a product as if my product is infallible and it must be something wrong on their end. The support I received on this issue is laughable at best, and it was obvious HP Tuners just didn't really give a crap about me not being able to tune my Duramax as I should be able to. It's no wonder so many people use EFI Live for tuning Diesels.

[Bill@HPTuners]

I'm glad you were able to figure it out, unfortunately for us we don't do any in house tuning so we don't have access to each and every year/make/model vehicle to test on. Ultimately your issue turned out to be a module on the same bus as the pcm which is, while a broad answer, a wiring issue. I'm sorry if you feel like you were blown off by my support but I gave what answer I thought would cover all bases in that it could be a bad ground or an inline module(which is what it turned out to be) or anything in between. I can say I've never heard of having to pull the fuses you had referred to in any application so without the vehicle here my guess would've been as good as yours.

In any event thank you for the leg work and I will include this information in the duramax section sticky for future reference.

Thanks,
Bill

[sikgmc]

I have contacted and posted many times about all Duramax/Allison flashing and reading issues. I found that I have to unplug the TCM and then I can read the PCM without issue. I actually went back to a beta from 2011 because the newest beta seems to be worse with communicating with all vehicles.

[Bill@HPTuners]

I have contacted and posted many times about all Duramax/Allison flashing and reading issues. I found that I have to unplug the TCM and then I can read the PCM without issue. I actually went back to a beta from 2011 because the newest beta seems to be worse with communicating with all vehicles.

What I've found is on the pre 2005 duramax reading in low speed mode works 99.9% of the time, this was probably the first flashing issue I've come across that didn't turn out to be an aftermarket module running inline with the pcm. I have yet to come across an 06+ duramax that has had a read or flash issue that is using the stock hardware.

[LS6FD]

I guess it would be my luck that I end up being an edge case, but those fuses have definitely done the trick--I haven't had a glitch yet when flashing with them pulled, and I've probably done it 7-8 times now playing with my tune for gas mileage.

Also of note, is that my truck is the LT model with climate control.

[waynehartwig]

Do you have an aftermarket radio/DVD/remote start?


This is how it works. When you tap into the OBDII port and want to read/write to a module, that module will send a 'shut up' signal to every other module on the line. If you have an aftermarket item on the line, such as a radio or remote start, they will not 'hear' the 'shut up' signal and keep talking. Thus causing the read/write to fail.


By going through and pulling all of your fuses, you are making that module 'shut up'.